


A Knight to Your Prince

by lonesomewriter



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Not Beta Read, all sfw tho, and play in the water ;), haru is a prince, makoto is a knight, they meet in a forest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:01:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25138123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonesomewriter/pseuds/lonesomewriter
Summary: Prince Haru escapes his mother's afternoon tea, taking a refreshing dip in the pond hidden inside the forest nearby the palace. Makoto, a poor miller's son, interrupts his swim, and the encounter leaves both boys longing for more.
Relationships: Nanase Haruka/Tachibana Makoto
Comments: 8
Kudos: 66
Collections: Nanase Haruka Birthday Exchange 2020





	A Knight to Your Prince

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PetiteNiku](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetiteNiku/gifts).



> Written for [Nikk](https://twitter.com/NikkDoodles) as a part of the [Nanase Haruka Birthday Exchange 2020](https://sites.google.com/view/nanaseharukabirthdayexchange/english-main?authuser=0) 🥰
> 
> I picked the Royalty AU from your list of prompts, I hope you enjoy this~

Haru squatted under the chokeberry bush, peeking through the dark-green leaves at the handmaids and eunuchs running frantically back and forth in the courtyard. He had just managed to flee from the most tiresome afternoon tea with his mother, but the palace servants had been too quick to follow him.

When had they gained such swift senses? Well, most of the blame could be put on Haru’s tendency to slip out of every occasion he felt was too boring, which just so happened to be every one of them. But who could really blame the crown prince, as all he was ever needed for were the most boring of occasions? In Haru’s opinion, not that anyone ever asked for his opinion, he would more than gladly skip all the pointless happenings and focus on the essentials.

Besides, who even wanted to celebrate their coming of age with dozens, if not hundreds of quests, most of whom he didn’t even know their name? Not Haru, that was for sure.

“Prince Haruka! The Queen seeks your presence!”

Haru scoffed annoyedly at the call, his hands clutching onto his trousers, his knuckles turning white from the force. The silken fabric was nearly brown from all the crawling on the ground, even the royal blue shirt with the golden embroidery underneath his lacy cloak all wrinkled up.

The servants passed the bush, and Haru held his breath. But maybe he had curled up unnoticeably enough, as they soon disappeared to the path leading to the royal garden, no one noticing one prince hiding in the shrub. Haru rubbed his nose, leaving a smudge on the bridge as he listened keenly to the receding sounds, waiting for them to completely vanish before moving. 

He crawled to the other direction, standing up only after he’d reached the passageway leading to the western yard. Crouching before the narrow hall, Haru kicked his shoes off. He hid them under the stone foundation, before sliding quietly through the shoji doors.

This part of the palace was most of the time void of people, as they used these rooms to put up all the most important quests. It had already been over two months since the royal house of Matsuoka had visited, and so the halls Haru passed were empty.

After sliding open the door near the western side of the palace, Haru tiptoed under the canopy, making sure there was no one around before he bolted through the stone paving. With a huge leap, he dived behind a cherry tree, rolling on the ground for a while before stopping flat on his stomach.

Catching his breath, Haru listened to the birds chirping enthusiastically in the branches. The summer heat enhanced the scent of grass and the flowers around the palace grounds, carrying a hint of soil within. A bead of sweat rolled down Haru’s forehead, the soft earth underneath his head like a pillow.

But as much as Haru would’ve enjoyed a nap here, the spot was still not safe enough for him to survive unnoticed for long. Yanking himself up from the ground, the prince stuck his head behind the tree, glancing to all directions before walking towards the forest at the end of the gently sloping hill.

He walked leisurely for about fifteen minutes, listening to the sounds of the birds and squirrels going about in the forest. The elm treetops swayed in the wind, the breeze ruffling the leaves of the aspen trees with a sibilant sound. The whooshing of the wind and the rustle of leaves made the tension in Haru’s heart ease, and his steps grew lighter as he hopped over the thick roots peeking out of the mossy ground.

The young crown prince inhaled the scent of pine cones, basking in the warmth of the forest. Soon enough, he reached the thick stone wall surrounding the palace grounds. Walking north along the wall, he quickly found the spot with the climbable, old oak near where the wall was cracked.

With practised ease, the prince had hopped onto the thickest branch, swinging his feet as he jumped on top of the wall without breaking a sweat. He jumped to the ground, rolling for a moment before standing up to brush the dust off his clothes.

Elated, he enjoyed the sounds of nature to the fullest as he made his way deeper into the woods. He didn’t need to walk for long before he spotted a sparkling light piercing through the thin birch trees. A half-smile crept to his face, his steps turning to leaps as he neared the pond. 

The cloak was the first he tossed, the shirt and trousers quickly following suit. Soon, he was stark naked, brushing his sweaty bangs off his forehead, standing under the scorching sun. His creamy skin had a bronze edge to it, having tanned quite a bit albeit the summer having just arrived. 

Impatient, Haru didn’t bask in the warmth for long. He dipped his right foot in the water, humming to a tune as the crisp water tickled his skin. The lily pads wavered when he paddled deeper into the quite sizeable pond, soon diving completely underwater, breaking the mirror-like surface with a splash. 

Instantly, Haru felt as if he was being embraced by the most comforting of feelings. The water on his skin was like air to a sparrow, the exhilarating surge of energy that flashed through his body as he swam not unlike an elixir of life. 

Haru dived around the pond for a moment to warm his muscles before starting to swim for real. He crossed the pond from one side to the other in thirty or so strokes, turning back whenever he neared the edge. He enjoyed the feel of mud under his toes as he kicked himself more speed whenever he reached the shallow end, inhaling in the slightly fishy scent as he sped back and forth through the pond.

Stopping for a breath, Haru wiped some droplets off his forehead, glancing to the forest. His eyes fell on a person standing in the middle of his scattered clothes. Haru froze, not daring to move as he took a better look at the human.

It was a young boy around his age. In his hand, he held what looked like to be Haru’s underwear, his long, pale fingers kneading the fabric in soft circles. He was wearing a green, coarse cotton shirt, his light brown, loose pants tied to his waist with a thick robe.

Haru coughed, and the boy yelped, dropping the pair of silken underwear to the ground as if it was a scalding hot potato. His bewildered eyes snapped to Haru, and his freckled face went from pale to pink to red when he noticed he was being stared at. 

“I’m so sorry!” he yelled, his shrill voice filled with panic.

Haru shook his head, sending water all around before taking a step forward. But by every inch he got closer to the boy, the boy backed up, making the prince wonder if he was going to flee before he had the chance to get any closer.

“I-I didn't mean to invade y-your bath!” the boy blabbered, his eyes flying to everywhere but Haru. 

Haru stopped, one foot on the grassy ground, the other still in the water. He tilted his head, a deep frown on his face as he tried to wrap his mind around what could make the boy so startled. 

“It’s okay,” he muttered when the boy trembled underneath the thick elm tree, his hands curled around his waist as if he was trying to protect himself from something. Haru almost wanted to laugh when he realised it was probably him that made the boy so scared. 

Maybe he disliked nudity? It seemed a bit weird as, judged by his rough shirt and bark shoes, the boy was a commoner. But Haru couldn’t really know how accustomed commoners were towards naked bodies, as most of what he’d heard came from Rin, who wasn’t a reliable source in the slightest.

Shrugging, Haru picked up his shirt from the bush it had fallen to, quickly pulling it over his head to make the boy feel more at ease. But when he brushed his wet fringe off his forehead, he found the boy was kneeling on the ground, as still as a statue, his eyes glued to his feet. 

“You don’t need to bow.”

The boy didn’t move, only shook his head, speaking in a quivering voice, “But, but you must be royalty, and I’m only a peasant, so I must show respect-”

“Who said I was royalty?” Haru scowled, feeling uneasy at being treated so differently all due to his birth. “Honestly, you can stand up.”

The boy peeked at Haru through his light brown mop of hair, a wary look in his sparkling, green eyes. His eyes travelled from Haru’s dripping wet hair to the expensive, albeit dampened shirt, before landing on the shimmering, high-quality cloak still lying on the ground.

“This one begs your pardon, your honourable highness, but I find it hard to believe you’re not royalty.”

Haru frowned. He took a step forward, only to stop on his track when the boy whimpered, hastily bringing his eyes back to the ground. Haru’s face darkened, the displeasure in his bones deepening.

Grabbing onto the boy’s hand, Haru pulled him upward. The boy was strong for his age, but maybe he was startled or caught off-guard, as he allowed himself to be helped to his feet. He staggered, and Haru didn’t hesitate to wrap his hand on his waist to help him steady himself.

The boy flushed, sputtering as he pushed Haru off his body, gently to not make him fall. His face quickly turned red as an overripe tomato, and Haru found the look quite endearing, enough to make him want to tease the man for it.

But when he opened his mouth, all the shrewd comments died in his throat, and what came out was a quiet question, “What is your name?”

“Uhm, I’m-this one’s name is Makoto.” 

The boy wiggled in his place, his hands clutching tight to the hem of his dark green shirt, making Haru wonder if he was in desperate need for the loo. But before he could bring himself to ask, the boy stuttered, curling into himself, somehow managing to make his tall and muscular body look all tiny and fragile.

“Y-your high-I mean, your noble sir…”

Haru leaned closer, reaching his hand up to brush the boy’s hair from his forehead. When he saw the flustered expression on his face, his heart leapt in his chest. Haru froze, his hand holding onto the soft hair quivering. The more he stared at the boy, the more the feeling of excitement in his chest intensified.

“Great sir!” Makoto cried, looking to be at the edge of his endurance. Haru sighed, letting go of his hair before stepping back.

“Haru.”

Makoto blinked. He opened his mouth, but realized what Haru meant, his eyes widening. 

“H-Haru, your, uhm,” Makoto averted his eyes, licking his lips nervously. When he finally managed to voice out what had been bothering him for a good while now, his voice wavered.

“Would you, would you please be so kind as to put on your pants?”

Haru almost wanted to laugh, both at the question and the boy’s stuttered words, but also at the ridiculous idea that a commoner could be so shaken by seeing a little bit of skin. 

But luckily, Haru wasn’t one to burst into laughter out of the blue. Instead, he nodded, picking up his trousers from the nearby branch they were dangling on, purposely ignoring the silky underpants on the ground as he pulled them on. 

Finally, Makoto was able to relax. Letting out a relieved breath, he tilted his head and smiled brightly at Haru, a chuckle escaping his parted lips. Haru flushed, turning to gaze at the sparkling pond, trying not to pay attention to the heat spreading down his face and pooling in his stomach. 

“This place is beautiful! I was just walking by, but I had to stop here when I heard the sounds of the water!”

Makoto walked past Haru and closer to the edge of the pod before crouching and dipping his hand in. He shuddered when the icy water hit his skin, giving Haru a look full of admiration and a bit of fear. 

“So cold! How were you able to swim in here and not die?!”

Haru shrugged, the praise making his heart flutter. Makoto gave him a smile, turning his attention back to the water. “You’re quite a good swimmer, from what I could see. I never got the chance to learn myself, although I live by a river…”

“Would you like to learn?”

Haru didn’t know what made him open his mouth right then. But as he looked at the hesitant, hopeful gleam in the boy’s eyes, he knew he wouldn’t regret asking.

“Uhm, I think it’d be nice?” Makoto splashed the water with his hand, his brows furrowing. “But I don’t know… The water is so chilly, and frankly, I’m quite afraid I’d drown.”

He sighed, the soft smile never leaving his face. Haru followed as a pair of dragonflies flew past the nearest lily pads, the blue one landing on Makoto’s knuckles. The boy giggled, scaring the insect off by accidentally jerking his hand.

“I could teach you,” Haru offered, sitting down next to him, no longer paying attention to the dragonflies now rising higher to the air in swirls.

“Ah, you could?” Makoto’s deep voice had a hint of hesitance to it, melting the last of Haru’s reserve. The green eyes met the blue, and Haru nodded. Makoto’s entire face lit up, the joy that blossomed in his features, unlike anything Haru had ever seen before. 

Maybe it was the sun, or the close proximity of their bodies, but Haru felt the heat unbearable all of a sudden. Clumsily, he stood up from the ground, tossing his shirt off his body before offering Makoto a hand.

“Uhm, do I need to take my clothes off too?”

Haru only had to give Makoto a pointed look before the boy scratched his nose, muttering something similar to ‘I was just asking’ before yanking his own shirt over his head. Haru’s mind blanked when his line of vision landed on the hard wall of muscles before his eyes. 

Makoto’s skin was pale, the light brown freckles running wild all over his body. Haru inhaled sharply when he counted the abs, the eight pack glistening with sweat under the sunny sky. Haru’s eyes travelled back up, stopping momentarily to gape at the chest muscles each the size of split melons. 

“H-Haru?”

Makoto covered his chest with his crumpled shirt, his eyes panicky as Haru blinked emotionlessly at him. The crown prince rubbed his suddenly itchy nose before turning around and kicking his trousers off, jumping right into the water to escape the awkward situation.

Landing in the pond, he sent a string of water around, some of the droplets hitting Makoto. The boy yelped, stepping back while gawking at Haru from behind the shirt still in his hands. Haru felt significantly calmer and more level-headed in the water, and managed to flash the other a challenging look.

“I uh, I’ll just uhm… I’ll take my pants off real quick,” Makoto laughed airily, taking his time undressing himself. Haru granted him the privacy and turned around, swimming a lap around the pond. He turned back only when he heard a splash behind him, followed by a sharp intake of breath.

He had to cover his mouth to hide his smile.

Makoto was hugging his body, the water barely reaching his navel. His teeth rattled, his skin covered in goosebumps as he stood, rooted to his place. Haru shook his head, swimming by his side in long strokes.

An idea popped in his head as he got nearer to the boy. Keeping his face neutral, he inched closer to Makoto, who tried to smile bravely albeit fighting hard against freezing to death. Slowly, Haru extended his hand under the water, before wrapping it around Makoto’s leg with swift movements.

Before the boy could realise what was happening, Haru had already pulled him down. With an enormous splatter, Makoto fell under the waves, shrieking as he went down. Haru stood above him, waiting for him to rise up while his shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.

When Makoto finally rose from the water, he was gasping for air, eyes wide and skin pink. He pointed at Haru, blinking rapidly while opening and closing his mouth like a fish.

“Y-you! That was unfair!”

Haru turned away, smiling to his feet while Makoto caught his breath. What he didn’t expect, however, was a revenge. While he was busy holding back his laughter, Makoto grabbed his waist, lifting him up from the water before tossing back in. Haru screeched as he flew through the air, his heart pounding as he heard loud laughter before plunging underwater.

He managed to gulp at least a litre of water in his lungs, sputtering and thrashing wildly when he jumped up to cough it out. He wheezed, rubbing his stinging eyes before snapping his head to Makoto. But when he saw the man laughing brightly and holding onto his stomach, he felt the stinging in his eyes alleviate, and the burn in his lungs more tolerable.

“That’s what you-you get from,” Makoto hiccuped, bending over as his whole body shook from laughing so hard. “-from m-messing with me!”

Haru splashed some water at Makoto, sticking his tongue out. The boy looked shocked, but it quickly turned into a smirk.

“Oh, I see how it is!”

Haru had barely enough time to dodge before the other lurched towards him, splashing water with both hands to his direction. Haru yelped, paying Makoto back in kind, not holding back in the slightest.

They ended up exhausting most of their energy in the water fight that followed. By the time Haru had to surrender, they were both panting hard, crawling to the shore with every muscle in their bodies aching. Haru slumped onto the ground, his chest heaving as he gazed upon the blue sky, spotting a few stray clouds as he rubbed his face.

“That was…” Makoto breathed, resting his arm on his forehead, shielding his eyes from the sun while he too stared into the sky. “It was fun.”

“Mn, it was.”

“But I have to admit, I didn’t learn to swim I’m afraid.” Makoto chuckled, smiling at Haru, turning to his side to prop himself into his elbows. “But still, it was nice! I wouldn’t mind doing this again some other time.”

Haru smiled. “That’d be nice.”

They waited for a moment until they were somewhat dry before dressing up again. Haru suggested they go walk through the forest, and Makoto was quick to comply. They chatted along the way, talking about everything and nothing while enjoying the summery eve.

“So, tell me Haru, where are you from?”

Haru scratched his chin at the sudden question, his eyes flying through the mossy ground as if he hoped to find a quick answer hidden in some bush nearby. He managed to keep his voice calm when he answered, “Iwatobi town. You?”

“Oh, so you’re close to the palace! That must be convenient, I suppose?” Makoto chuckled, and Haru nodded, thankful that the other hadn’t asked for the name of his home street. “I live a bit farther to the west, near the orange river. My family owns a mill there, and I often help the farmers plough their fields.”

“Sounds nice,” Haru smiled. He couldn’t quite understand what life in a farm or a mill was like, but he was fond of the idea of having to work for his bread. “Is the work at the mill hard?”

“Not really, and my mother does most of the job with father anyways,” Makoto grinned, hopping over a rock, balancing himself on top of it for a moment before moving onto a tree root poking through the soil. “My little brother seems to like the mill a lot, but my sister and I have been practising fencing together. We have this little dream of becoming knights someday… Well, I guess for me, someday might be quite soon.”

“Have you thought of joining the king's guard?”

Makoto shook his head. Haru’s heart squeezed in his chest, but he ignored it, asking nonchalantly, “Oh, why’s that?”

“I don’t really care for the royal family that much to be honest,” Makoto admitted, staring at the treetops swaying in the wind, his hands crossed behind his neck. Haru glimpsed at him, his mood turned sour. Luckily, the stone wall peeked through the woods, and Haru got the chance to drop the topic.

“There’s a crack on the wall, we can climb through it,” he said, pointing to the spot where the oak tree branch reached over the wall, bending down until it almost touched the ground. Makoto stared at the wall in awe, before stopping on his track, grasping Haru’s arm.

“Hm?”

“Haru, I don’t think we should go through here,” he whispered, looking solemn all of a sudden. Haru frowned, keeping on walking while pulling Makoto with him.

“It’s okay, I’ve passed through here plenty of times,” he explained. “Nothing to be scared of.”

Makoto looked reluctant, but followed Haru nevertheless. They climbed over the wall quietly, and neither said a word until they’d walked quite the way towards the palace.

It was Makoto who eventually broke the silence. He tugged at Haru’s shirt, a worried look on his face as he gazed into the sparsening forest.

“Haru, is that the royal palace?”

Haru looked ahead, spotting his home in the distance, peeking behind the trees. He sucked in a breath, grabbing Makoto as he bolted to the edge of the forest.

He was about to turn and explain Makoto that he wanted them to sneak into the palace, when he noticed a group of people walking over the grassy hill and towards them, the shining armours of the royal guards blinking in the sun.

“H-Haru!” Makoto squeaked, squeezing hard onto Haru’s arm as he too spotted the guards.

“Go!” Haru hissed, his heart for some reason pounding in his chest as he pushed Makoto back towards the forest. “I’ll distract them.” 

Makoto stood firm as a rock, worry flashing behind his frown as he stared at the royal guards getting closer and closer. Haru’s entire body broke out in cold sweat, and he used all his strength to push the other away. 

“Just go! Meet me by the pond tomorrow and we can talk then!”

“But what about you?”

“What about me?” Haru frowned, not understanding Makoto’s question.

“Come with me.” Makoto tugged Haru’s wrist, his voice wavering as he kept an eye on the royal guards rushing towards them. “Please Haru! There’s no reason for you to be punished! If you have no place to go, there’s-there’s more than plenty of room in my home! And you don’t need to worry about my parents, they’d love to hear I have made friends!”

Haru swallowed, the thread in his stomach freezing him to the spot. It had been so refreshing pretending to be a commoner, now that was time to reveal the truth, he found himself reluctant. 

“Makoto…”

He tried to brush the boy off, but wasn’t quick enough. A shout echoed through the yard, and Haru flinched as he felt Makoto freeze behind him.

“Prince Nanase! Your mother was worried sick!” Goro Sasabe, the servant who usually was the one managing to catch Haru, cast the two boys a tired look as he reached them. “When in the everloving hell are you going to learn to take some responsibility?”

As the man broke into a full lecture, Haru winced, not daring to look at Makoto, whose hand around his wrist had started to sweat profusely the moment Sasabe had addressed Haru.

“And who is this?” the servant turned to Makoto, something akin to displeasure flashing in his eyes. “A commoner? Prince Nanase, please do explain yourself.”

“He’s just someone passing by,” Haru explained, straightening his back while throwing Sasabe a cold stare. The old man blinked back, not used to having Haru talk back at him. 

He recovered himself quickly, and wrapped Haru by the arm, easily separating him from Makoto. Haru whipped his head back, wishing stupidly for Makoto to hold onto him. But the boy wasn’t even looking at him, letting his hand slip through his hold without giving him as much as a squeeze.

“Seize the trespasser,” Sasabe gave the two guards a command, turning to drag Haru back to the palace. But the prince fought back, yanking at his hand while refusing to take his eyes off Makoto, whose head had dropped to stare at his own feet. 

“Let him go!” Haru demanded, his heart pounding rapidly as he tried in vain to free himself from the tight grip. “He’s done nothing! It was I who forced him here!” 

“Is that so?”

Haru glared at Sasabe, who showed no signs of listening to him. Haru had never been particularly fond of the old man, but now even the neutral feelings dipped to irritation. 

Realising he wouldn’t get any support from the servant, he turned to the two guards holding Makoto.

“Let him go right this instant.”

That made Sasabe stop. He looked at the guards, who were unable to disobey straight commands from the royalty, letting out a deep sigh while shaking his head. He turned to Makoto, and with tiredness in his voice, told him, “You heard the prince, boy. Now, I think it’d be the best you left.”

“Understood, good lord.”

Makoto bowed, and turned to the forest without looking at Haru. Sasabe ordered one of the guards to escort him out of the grounds before turning to Haru, a disbelieving smile on his face.

“I’m afraid your little adventures come to an end today. Haven’t I told you many times your mother doesn’t like this kind of behaviour?” 

Haru didn’t bother granting him an answer, obediently letting himself be dragged to the palace.

But as he reached the front door, he couldn’t help but glance into the forest. His heart dropped when all he saw was softly swaying trees and not even a glimpse of the commoner with the softest of smiles. 

Dejected, he stepped inside the palace, bleeding in his heart when he saw his mother’s stern face meeting him in the entrance.

In the end, his punishment for running away was a mere house arrest, lasting until the night before his birthday banquet in two weeks. At first, Haru thought it was quite okay, as staying locked inside the palace meant he didn’t have to show up to the annual tournament held in the Iwatobi town.

But after a few days, staying inside four walls while the summer was in full blast behind his balcony felt quite dreadful to the young prince. And so he tried to escape, but every time, he was stopped dead before he even managed to get out of the inner palace.

The days passed tediously, the only interaction he was granted being the robe-fittings and handkerchief-pickings his mother had arranged for him. By the time his house arrest was finally over, Haru’s head brimmed with different patterns, colours and an endless string of his mother’s praises and complaints.

And so when he found himself standing in the overly buzzing banquet hall the next day, dressed in tight-fitting robes of the most expensive of quality, suffocating in the summery heat and wishing for early death, Haru wished more than anything that he could just collapse to the floor and skip the whole event.

He had greeted most of the quests before he was offered a break, which he effectively used into running to the least crowded place of the hall next to a thick marble pillar, wiping off his sweaty forehead while throwing murderous glares to anyone who tried to open a conversation with him.

But his joy, naturally, was short-lived.

“There you are, Haru! I was looking for you!” 

Haru grimaced, letting his hand tugging the collar of his suffocating robes fall to his side. He turned around, giving the red-haired boy grinning behind him an annoyed look.

“No need to look so happy to see me,” Rin pouted, hooking an arm around Haru’s shoulder. “I heard you’ve been locked in your room for weeks!”

Haru scoffed, trying and failing to brush the clingy man off. “Only for two.”

Rin laughed, the bright and sparkling sound instantly filling the room. Haru sighed, resigning to his fate while letting his friend use him a surface to lean into. 

“Of course, your mother wouldn’t dare keep you locked for too long. But do tell me, what’s with the talk about you getting in trouble for a commoner? I even heard you defended the poor fellow! Haru, I’ve been gone for two months, and you manage to climb yourself to the top of the hottest gossip in the kingdom!”

“Don’t tell me you’ve been spending time with Nagisa again,” Haru pursed his lips together, grabbing himself a drink from the nearby servant. Rin laughed, stealing the drink from him before Haru even got a taste.

“So what if I’ve been? He’s a nobleman, and quite a good company.”

Haru gave Rin a pointed look. The redhead stuck his tongue out, taking a sip of the wine while nodding.

“Who can I blame that Nagisa knows the juiciest gossip?”

Haru hummed, bowing to the noblewoman passing by. He was about to answer his friend when he spotted a familiar figure standing on the other side of the hall. Immediately, Haru stilled, the blood in his veins surging as his heartbeat picked up.

“Who’s that guy?”

Rin choked on his wine, his eyes wide with shock as he snapped his head towards Haru. “W-what?! Is the ever so stoic, stick-in-his-ass heir to the Iwatobi throne showing interest in another human being?!? Who are you and what have you done to my best friend!”

Haru wore a deadpan expression on his face, while Rin shook him by the shoulders, going all-in with the worried antic. 

“Who is it?! Who's the person that has grabbed your attention!” 

“Stop with the nonsense,” Haru mumbled, nodding his head towards the man standing awkwardly by the long table filled with light snacks. “He looks a bit familiar…”

Rin followed his line of vision, his brows furrowing momentarily before recognition dawned to him, his features brightening as if he was the sun itself. 

“Ooh! I know, isn’t he the one from the tournament?” 

Haru squinted at the man, taking in the slightly too small, green robes hugging onto the muscular body. Warmth spilt in his heart, and he tried his best to keep his face neutral as he pretended to be interested in the vine spiralling up the pillar next to him.

“Oh, yeah you wouldn’t know, since you were in a _house arrest_ during the whole thing,” Rin mocked, clearly not pleased about the fact he had had to attend the joust without his best friend. “But anyway, that’s Tachibana Makoto, a miller’s son from the southern town. He participated in the tournament for the first time this year, and everyone thought he would lose! Few newbies ever make it through the first round, you know how it is…”

Haru lifted his brows, grabbing the wine back from Rin to ease his suddenly dried up throat.

“I take it he won?”

Rin laughed, shaking his head as if Haru was being extremely hilarious. “Naturally not, but he did do something quite remarkable, something so impressive the king himself granted him an invitation to this banquet!”

“Get to the point.” Haru sighed, annoyed at his friend’s habit of beating around the bush. 

“You’re no fun!” Rin sighed, but threw his hands in the air in submission after one tired look from Haru. “Okay, okay! Let me tell you…”

Haru listened intently as Rin retold the events of the five-day tournament. The redhead used colourful words, clinging onto every tiny detail for aeons, enough to make Haru wish he hadn’t asked multiple times. But eventually, he got the grasp of what exactly made Makoto such an intriguing presence. 

“-and so, he single-handedly stroke down _five_ of the last years top ten knights! Like, how is that even possible!”

Haru stared at Makoto with newfound admiration. All he knew of the boy was what they’d discussed during that one day, which wasn’t much now that he thought about it.

A sudden wave of encouragement washed over Haru, and he nodded at Rin, pushing his half-empty wine glass to his hand.

“Hold onto this for a second.”

“Huh?” Rin stared at the glass, then up to Haru. But the prince had already crossed the banquet hall, standing before the thriving knight.

“Ah! Crown Prince Nanase,” Makoto squeaked when Haru popped in front of him as if he had materialized out of thin air. “Isn’t this a p-pleasure!” 

Haru showed an unpleasant look at the way he was addressed. “Just Haru is fine.” 

Makoto shook his head, smiling apologetically while rubbing the back of his head. “I’m afraid I couldn’t speak such intimately, as you are the heir to the throne while I am just a lowborn…”

His voice drifted off, and Haru felt a tug in his heart at the awkwardness between them. Makoto was acting as if they didn’t know each other, and it made Haru’s heart twitch uncomfortably.

“It’s okay,” he tried to ease the tension, but Makoto shook his head, smiling apologetically. Haru’s insides turned cold, every fibre of his being hating how strange their interaction felt now, compared to when they’d met.

“I’m sorry, but I’m sure the crown prince is quite busy, I should take my leave-”

Makoto bowed shortly and turned to leave, but was stopped by Haru's hand grabbing his shoulder. 

“Don’t go.”

Makoto’s breath hitched in his throat, and for a moment, he was as tense as a drawn bowstring. But in a blink, he smiled, the tension in his body seeping out as he let out a soft chuckle. 

“Prince Nanase, I'm sorry but-”

Before he could finish the sentence, a shout came from the crowd. Haru flinched, recognizing Rin’s voice immediately. Not giving himself much time to think it through, he lowered his hand to grip Makoto’s wrist, pulling the tall man with him as he dived into the crowd. 

“P-prince Nanase!” Makoto squeaked, but Haru didn’t slow down. In a flash, they dashed through the hall, robes fluttering as they dodged the high borns and servants alike before slipping through an open door and inside an empty corridor. 

“Your Highness!” Makoto breathed, but Haru hushed him, slowing down to sneak inside a vacant room farther down the corridor. 

He pressed himself against the door after sliding it shut, leaving a tiny opening to observe whether they were followed. After catching his breath and making sure no one was behind them, Haru turned to Makoto, about to ask him how he was doing. 

But when he turned, he found the man closer than he’d anticipated. Makoto looked down at him, his brown hair framing his face quite beautifully, the warm breath hitting Haru'’s skin as he gaped at him. Haru was close enough to count the freckles on his face, a fact that made his knees weak. 

“Prince Nanase…”

“Please, just Haru is okay,” Haru whispered. 

The corners of Makoto’s eyes wrinkled as he tried to hold back his laughter. Nodding, he pressed his hand on Haru’s waist, peeking through the ajar door into the corridor.

Haru’s eyes fluttered shut, and he inhaled the mellow scent emanating from Makoto’s body. 

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, his fingers trembling as he clenched and unclenched his fists. Makoto looked down at him, confusion clear in his face. 

“What are you apologising for?”

Haru couldn’t bear to look into the green eyes, his gaze travelling to the empty room. He swallowed, his Adam's apple popping before he spoke, “For that day in the pond. For lying about my identity.” 

Makoto chuckled, shaking his head. “There’s no need to apologize. Although I must admit, I do wonder why you lied about not being the prince…”

Haru grimaced. He apologized before changing the topic, feeling immense guilt seeping in his pores. 

“I heard you did well on the tournament.”

Makoto smiled, tilting his head. “Really? I’m sure what you heard is mostly all exaggeration. But I did perform well enough to be invited to this banquet, so that must be something.” 

Haru nodded. It was more than something, as his father wasn’t a king known to invite commoners to his parties. 

“I think father wants to curry favour with you,” he admitted. “He must wish for you to join the king's guard.”

“That’d be quite amazing, as that’s exactly what I want.”

Haru snapped his head to Makoto, lifting an eyebrow at him. “Really? I thought you said you don’t care for the royal family.”

Makoto’s face flushed, and he coughed, rubbing the back of his neck apologetically. “Ah well, that was before I met one royal prince. He is quite a c-charming personality…”

Haru stared at the boy blankly, his mind wracked over the fact Makoto had changed his mind because of _him._

Makoto burst into laughter, and Haru jolted, pressing his hand onto his mouth to drown the noise. He flushed as he felt Makoto’s breath against his palm, the soft lips pressing onto his sensitive skin as Makoto tried his best to swallow his laughter.

But the sound had already alerted the attentive ears, and soon footsteps echoed through the corridor. Haru searched the room with his eyes for a hiding spot, finding none. Before he could as much as glance at Makoto, the door was pulled open, revealing a shocked Rin.

“Haru!” the redhead blurted, taking in the questionable position the two boys were in. Haru yanked his hand off Makoto’s mouth, slipping out from under him after taking his hand off his waist.

“It’s not what it looks like,” he said, unable to keep the irritation out of his voice. Makoto coughed behind him, but Haru refused to look at him, keeping his eyes glued on Rin.

“Yeah, sure! I saw nothing!” Rin laughed, lifting his eyes to the air innocently while having the audacity to _wink_ at them. His red eyes twinkled with mischievous intent, and he was already backing out of the room as he said, “I’ll just leave you two lovebirds at it then!”

Haru groaned, letting his friend leave without chasing after to strangle him. He only walked to the door, closing it before giving Makoto an apologetic smile. “That was Rin, don’t mind him.”

Makoto shook his head, laughing brightly. “It’s okay, I don’t mind.”

But Haru could already feel the upcoming gossip in his very soul, cursing his friend while trying to come up with a good enough excuse to debunk the rumours Rin would surely spread with his slippery mouth. But before he could come up with anything, he felt Makoto’s hand on his shoulder.

Looking up, he was met with a blushing face, as Makoto’s green eyes were fixed on his face. Haru blinked, about to ask what was wrong when Makoto spoke.

“If you’re thinking about what your friend is going to tell others,” his voice was low, every word pronounced with utmost care as Makoto closed the distance between them slowly. “I wouldn’t mind even if he told… if he said there was something widely frowned upon going on between the two of us.”

Haru swallowed, his throat dry as he felt Makoto’s hand in his lower back.

“You’re sure about that?” he asked, his voice breathless as he unconsciously leaned closer. “You don’t mind if my parents hear the rumours?”

Makoto chuckled, his other hand brushing Haru’s cheek lightly. “Well, maybe it’s best I wait until I am a member of the king's guard before doing anything…” 

Haru smiled, pressing his face onto Makoto’s shoulder as waves of laughter washed over his body.

“Yeah, that might be for the best.”


End file.
